The secret to making money isn't working at a high-paying job, it’s finding creative solutions to people’s problems, and it doesn't take a fancy degree to do that. To get your creative juices flowing, check out these common and not-so-common ways of lining your pockets. Below that, you’ll also find more general financial advice as well as some money-making ideas for kids.

Seek a payday loan or title loan as a last resort. Companies that offer payday and title loan services are commonly available, and can be a way of making quick cash. However, these typically offer extremely high interest rates (sometimes with percentages in the hundreds). If you cannot pay the loan and any interest back within the stated timeline, you risk even higher interest costs or, in the case of a title loan, the loss of your car. Avoid these types of loans in all but the most dire circumstances, unless you are certain you will be able to pay the loan back.

These are very creative ways, well, who wouldn’t want to earn some extra cash right? Here’s good news – you can actually earn cash just by unlocking your phone! Yes, you’ve read it correctly. MooCash (previously known as MooLocker) is an app that allows users to earn points each time you swipe to unlock your phone. These points are exchanged for free talktime, free shopping vouchers, paypal withdrawals, gift cards and many more.
Search engine evaluation - Almost everyone uses the internet in day to day activities and being paid to hang out online can put a smile on your face. Search engines such as Bing, Yahoo and Google use human skills to authenticate search engine results produced by complex algorithms. It is a simple online job because all you have to do is type word phrases into a search engine and then assess the relevance of the results.

Most people have more clothes in their closet than they ever wear. You likely have items you haven’t worn in the past year that you never have any intention of wearing ever again. Whether you sell your clothes, handbags, or shoes there are quite a few websites that allow you to sell your used fashion items. Poshmark, Refashioner, TheRealReal, ThredUp and Tradesy are a few of the online sites where you can sell your used apparel. You could make money online by selling on several different platforms. If you’re looking to sell items in person, you can use Facebook buy and sell groups in your community to find people online and sell the items in person. I’ve personally sold in these groups before and know they work.

I used to have fun doing surveys while I watched TV. I was choosy about the companies I used and I never paid to sign up for any. I got about $25 in free BlockBuster movie coupons, cashed out about $25 from another site and did an in house project trial where a company sent me to full size body lotions to use and record information about. I had fun, felt like my input was improving the business world, but I wasn’t looking to get rich quick, just earn a little bit in time that typically wasted. Some survey companies pay very little, others pay better. Of course, it is not fair to the businesses conducting the research to lie in order to qualify for a survey and they certainly deserve honest and thoughtful answers to their questions. The companies I worked with told me how much the survey would pay and how long it would it would take. Research for the reputable companies.
If you pick up a side job at some fast-food restaurant or department store and start today, it’ll probably be up to a month before you get your first paycheck. You work two weeks, and two weeks later, the check comes in. Maybe you’d get paid sooner — but in my experience, when I’ve needed cash quickly, it’s better to be pessimistic and plan for the worst and hope for the best.
If you’ve got some free time and don’t live in the middle of nowhere, becoming a Lyft driver can be a very lucrative side hustle that allows you make money fast. And right now, they’ve got a promotion going on where any new driver will instantly get a $300 bonus after completing their 100th ride. If you start now and hustle hard on the weekends, you can probably unlock that bonus within a few weeks of driving (and that’s in addition to your normal earnings).